Sykap’s 72-year-old grandmother, who raised him, said in an interview that on the day Sykap died, she spoke with him on the phone and told him to hurry home. The corner of Kalakaua Avenue and Philip Street where Sykap died has been decorated with a makeshift memorial of dozens of candles, bouquets, bandanas, gifts, balloons and messages. Reaction to both shootings, including small protests, reflected the wide gap between Hawaii residents who see police brutality as a symptom of racial inequality and many others who defended the cops and lashed out at the suspects for their alleged crimes. In that case, the victim was Black, further underscoring concerns about police use of force and racial tensions in Hawaii. HPD has already published body cam footage of another police killing that occurred nine days after Sykap’s but said that was easier to process because there was less footage and no juveniles involved. There’s footage from more than 50 body cameras, according to Ballard, but none has been released and records requests for the use of force reports have so far gone unanswered. HPD Chief Says There’s Less Racial Bias In Hawaii. The medical examiner’s autopsy report isn’t expected for three to six months. Police initially said there were no weapons in the car, then said they recovered a “replica gun” but wouldn’t elaborate on what that meant or where it was found. The department hasn’t said if Sykap or the other suspects were armed. Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard cited Sykap’s alleged criminal history in response to a question about why officers shot him. Per department policy, their names have not been released. The department said the three officers who opened fire that day were initially placed on administrative leave but as of Thursday were back on full duty. HPD’s use of force policy states that deadly force may only be used when an officer reasonably believes it is necessary to defend their life or the life of another person who is “in immediate danger of death or serious bodily injury.” “I think we explained it last time, because these folks had, 20 minutes before, had done an armed robbery with two guns, previous, noon that same day, a purse snatching, so I think that pretty much kind of answers that question,” she said. When asked about their rationale at a press conference Thursday, Ballard cited the criminal activity that allegedly involved the suspects. It’s not even clear why officers opened fire. HPD hasn’t said where on his body Sykap was shot or how many bullets hit him. Nearly two weeks later, many key details remain unknown, and no charges have been filed against the other occupants of the car. “During this time, officers fired multiple shots at the vehicle,” she said at the televised press conference. Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard told reporters hours later that it appeared the vehicle had rammed two marked police cars before driving through a chainlink fence and crashing into the Kalakaua canal. Balloons and flowers decorate a site by Kalakaua Canal where Iremamber Sykap, whose nickname was Baby, was killed in a police shooting on April 5. In the absence of more details, Sykap’s death and subsequent media coverage ignited an outpouring of grief among many in Hawaii’s Micronesian community, with some questioning why death was the consequence for his alleged crimes.Īccording to the Honolulu Police Department, Sykap was driving the car, which had been reported stolen from Kailua and had been linked to a series of crimes including another car theft in Kaimuki, a purse snatching in Waikiki and an armed robbery in Moiliili just 20 minutes before the shooting. “I just wish it was me, that they had killed me instead.” “I just wish I could’ve saved him,” said Middleton. Middleton had known Sykap since he was 4 years old and they were neighbors in Kalihi. The night before, they had hung out at Old Stadium Park off King Street. It was only later that Middleton learned that his 16-year-old friend, Iremamber Sykap, had been killed in the police shooting. Honolulu police officers were shooting at a stolen white Honda Accord filled with six suspects aged 14 to 22. Sean Middleton was sitting in his car at a stoplight on Kalakaua Avenue on April 5 when he heard gunfire.
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